Kathleen Boyle Blog

An Cailín Rua       Kathleen Boyle

Kathleen Boyle plays the accordion with a masterful, understated ease. Ornamentations flow effortlessly and never trip over each other, maintaining the integrity of the melody, whilst still sounding punchy and dynamic. The first set of tunes, “Barney’s,” is testament to this from the outset, with Kathleen’s accordion skipping fluently through the melodies, underscored by the bold double bass of Duncan Lyle and the nimble flute and fiddle of Kevin O’Neill and Jenna Reid.

Kathleen demonstrates utmost restraint on “Goodnight Manny,” an affectionate, emotive air, composed as a tribute to her late uncle, and again on the album closer, “Cailín Deas Crúite na mBó.” It is on tunes like this, where Kathleen plays the accordion with such aching beauty and subtlety, transcending the mechanics of the instrument and conveying raw, honest sentiment as if it were her own voice, singing out to you — it is extraordinarily moving.

The shrewd inclusion of two songs featuring guest vocals from Julie Fowlis and Heidi Talbot make for a pleasant diversion. Julie contributes her unmistakeable, crisp and relentlessly beautiful vocals on the title track, “An Cailín Rua” (The Red Haired Girl), a Donegal love song translated into Scottish Gaelic, with perfectly unassuming and sensitive piano and accordion accompaniment from Kathleen — this makes for three heavenly minutes! Kathleen plays with equal sensitivity on a tender interpretation of “The Banks of Red Roses,” featuring Heidi Talbot’s delightfully unpretentious singing.

One of the most touching moments on the album is “The Moving Clouds,” composed by Kathleen’s late grandfather, Neillidh Boyle, a renowned fiddler from County Donegal. This is a real family affair that finds Kathleen’s father joining in on piano with Kathleen’s accordion, playing together alongside a 1953 archive recording of Neillidh Boyle’s fiddle, recorded by Peter Kennedy for the BBC. It’s a real treat to hear three generations of a family united in musical harmony, and one is sure that Neillidh would be proud to hear his musical legacy being continued so caringly.

Martin O’Neill has done a great job on the production of An Cailín Rua, with a faithful representation of Kathleen’s musical agility, and just the right mix of accompanying musicians — supporting but never detracting. This is a superb album, with so much to enjoy.

Written by Mike Wilson

15/06/08

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